Flap positioning machine



J. c. BERNEY 3,184,898

FLAP POSITIONING MACHINE May 25, 1965 Filed 05x. 1, 1962 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 'TlEa il DOWNSTREAM INVENTOR.

JosEPH c. BERNEY ATTORNEY May 25, 1965 J. C.'BERNEY FLAP POSITIONING MACHINE 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed 001;. l. 1962 Illll I A-r-roRNgv I JOSEPH C BERNEY Zia.

United States Patent 3,184,898 FLAP POSITIUNING MACHINE Joseph C. Barney, San Mateo, Calif. (2437 Bamboo, Newport Beach, Calif.) Filed Oct. 1, 1962, Ser. No. 2275M 11 Claims. (Cl. 533-882) The present invention relates to improvements in a flap positioning machine, and has particular reference to improvements over my copending application on a Case Opening Machine, Serial No. 221,187, which was filed in the United States Patent Office on September 4, 1962.

In the above-mentioned copending application, I provide a conveyor having a reach disposed to receive cases at the upstream end thereof, this reach being operable continuously for advancing the cases downstream; A stop mechanism is arranged in the path of each case being advanced by the reach for temporarily arresting forward movement of the case, with a swing arm being operable to fold a leading end flap of the arrested case outwardly.

However, it has been found that in some situations the leading end flap of the arrested case may be folded inwardly of the case to such an extent that the swing arm may fail to engage with this flap and thus the latter will not be moved into open position. Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide a flap-positioning swing arm having a hook, with means coacting with the swing arm to move the hook in a substantially sinuous locus of travel, with the hook and a roller carried thereby descending into a position underneath the leading end flap from the interior of the case, and thence moving the hook and its roller in an ascending path to move the flap into opened position. Also, the hook is then advanced in another descending path forwardly of the case so as to press the opened flap into a substantially horizontal position. By first moving this flap upwardly with the hook and its roller and then depressing them, the flap will be broken more easily along the score line between the case and the flap.

Another object of my invention is to use the same flap-positioning machine for folding a trailing end flap of the case into closed position relative to the case.

Other objects andadvantages will appear as the specification continues, and the novel features of the invention will be pointed out in the appended claims.

Drawings For a better understanding of the invention, reference should be had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a fragmentary top plan view of my flap positioning machine, the supporting frame being omitted;

FIGURE 2 is a longitudinal sectional view taken along the plane II-II of FIGURE 1, illustrating a leading end flap being moved into opened position;

FIGURE 3 is a transverse sectional view taken along the plane IIIIII of FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a diagrammatic view showing successive positions of the flap-positioning swing arm and parts associated therewith and disclosing the locus of travel of the hook and its roller; and

. FIGURE 5 is a viev similar to FIGURE 2, but showing 'the flap positioning machine as being utilized to move a trailing end fiap of a case into closed position.

While I have shown only "the preferred form of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, or modifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claims without departing from the spirit thereof.

Detailed description Referring now to the drawings in detail, I have shown "ice case B, the latter being provided with a leading end flap 11, a trailing end flap 12 and a pair of side flaps 13. The leading end flap 11 has been shown as being folded inwardly of the case B and may approach a substantially horizontal position. The case may be delivered to the upstream end of the conveyor by any suitable means and will be advanced downstream as the reach 10 is moved in that direction. The conveyor A may be moved continuously during the operation of the machine, and it has been shown as being trained around a head roller 14 (see FIGURE 2).

It will be seen from FIGURE 1 that a stop mechanism 15 is arranged in the path of the case B being advanced by the reach 10 for temporarily arresting forward movement of this case. At this time, clamping means C is actuated to hold the case stationary, this clamping means defining a plate 16 carried by a piston rod 17. The latter is actuated by a fixed air cylinder 18, or the like. The plate 16 is arranged to engage with one side of the case, while a pusher plate 19 is disposed to abut the opposite side of the case. The plate 19 forms part of a case-pushing means D, and a piston rod 19 is connected to this plate and is actuated by a fixed air cylinder 20, or the like (see FIGURES 1 and 3). When the plate 19 occupies its retracted position, as shown by full lines, the case Bwill be guided into a position to abut the stop mechanism 15.

For the purpose of folding the leading end flap 11 of the case B outwardly relative to the arrested case, I pro- .yide a flap-positioning swing arm E mounted above the reach 10 for swinging between raised and lowered positions, as clearly shown in the drawings. This swing arm is fashioned with a hook 21 at one end thereof, and its opposite end is connected to a crank arm 22, the latter being fixed to a stub shaft 23. This shaft is supported by a pair of bearing plates 24 carried by a supporting frame 25 (see FIGURES 1 and 2). This crank arm may be rotated through 360 in the manner hereinafter described and then its direction of rotation may be reversed.

It will be observed that a swingable lever F is supported by a bracket 26 that is fixed to a stub shaft 27, the latter being journalled in the side or hearing plates 24 (see FIGURE 3). Thus the lever F is swingable about a substantially horizontal axis defined by the shaft 27 between raised and lowered positions. For the purpose of oscillating the swingable lever F between these positions, I provide a lever-swinging means G (see FIGURE 2), which defines an air cylinder 28, or the like, having its piston rod 29 swingably attached to an adjacent end of the lever F. A link I-I swingably interconnects the hook 21 with the other end of the lever F so that the hook will be raised and lowered by the lever, when the latter is oscillated.

As disclosed in FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, a pinion 30 is fixed to the shaft 23, while a quadrant gear 31 is fixed to the shaft 27, the pinion meshing with the quadrant gear, thus providing a driving means interconnecting the lever F with the crank arm 22, turning the crank arm in a direction opposite to that in which the lever is moved and at a higher rate of speed. The swingable lever F may be moved from a substantially horizontal position into vertical position, as indicated in FIGURES 2 and 4.

Upon rotation of the crank arm 22 by a swing of the quadrant gear. 31, the journal pin $2 will describe a circle 33, with this journal pin passing through successive points 1 to 7, inclusive, as shown on the schematic diagram in FIGURE 4, and the hook 21 will pass through successive positions P to P respectively, in the same view.

Particular attention is called to the fact that the movements of the swingable lever F, the flap-positioning swing armE and the driving means (pinion 3t and quadrant 31) are corelated so as to move the hook 21 in a subtion.

stantially sinuous locus of travel I as the hook descends (see FIGURES 2 and 4). The hook descends underneath the leading end flap 11 from the interior of the case B, as the hook passes through position P and then moves in an ascending path through position P to engage with and carry this flap outwardly into opened posi- The hook is further advanced through positions P and P afteropening the flap 11, so as to press the opened flap into a substantially horizontal position (see FIGURE v2). 7

When the crank arm 22 moves from position 1 to position 7 (see FIGURE 4), it moves through a complete circle. At position P the swingable'lever F occupies a substantially horizontal arrangement, while a position P this lever is about vertical. Then the lever-swinging means G may be'actuated to return the lever F in a reverse path of movement to its initial horizontal position.

In FIGURES 1, 2 and 3, I show a roller 21a .as being interposed between the hook 21 of the swing arm E and the adjacent end of the link H in a position to bear against and roll over the inner surface of the flap, as the latter is .being opened, and this will facilitate breaking the score line between this fiapand the case.

Upon retracting the plate 16 into its dot-dash line position by actuating the cylinder 18, as illustrated in FIG- URES 1 and 3, and by advancing the pusher plate 19 into its dot-dash line position, as shown in these same views, the arrested case B will be moved transversely to become freed from the stop mechanism 15 and then 'it will be moved downstream by thereach 1t).

In FIGURES l and 2, I show a center plow 34 for en-v gaging with the opened leading end flap 11 from above,

as the casemoves forward, this plow sloping downwardly I in a downstream direction so as to move the flap 11 to a substantially horizontal open position. The hook 21 may remain in its lowered position so that the back of the hook will fold the trailing end flap 12 outwardly as the released case is advanced downstream.

Turning now to FIGURE Ljthere are a pair of side plows fwhich are arranged in diverging relation with respect to one another .in a downstream direction. The

downstream ends of these side plows are spaced apart'at a distance greater than the space between the side flaps 13,

as more fully illustrated in my copending application mentioned earlier. The side plows willfold the side flaps of the released case outwardly, as indicated in FIGURE 3.

There may be a tendency for the reach 10 to slip under the released case B as the side flaps are being folded outwardly. For this reason, at least one driven endless belt K ispositioned downstream from the stop mechanism .15 to engage with the case, the belt being operable to move the case downstream as the side flaps are foldedoutwardly, while the leading end flap 11 remains in open,

position and held thereby the center plow 34.

As clearly illustrated in FIGURE 1, I provide a pair of the driven endless belts Kin spaced confronting relation with respect to one another in positions to engage" with opposite sides .of the body of the case B,.and both belts are movable in directions to move the released case downstream, as indicated by the arrows36 in FIGURE 1. These belts are trained around vertical rolls 37, and

compression rolls 38 may be used to yielding urge the. endless belts into engagement with opposite sides of the.

case. U V

The supporting frame structure :for my flap positioning machine has been omitted for clarity, but it is fully shownin my copending application previously mentioned.

It should be understood that my flap positioning machine may be utilized for .closingthe trailing end flap 12 relative-to the case B, and thisnarrangementis illustrated in FIGURE '5. Here the construction and operation of the machine is the same as that deseribedin connection with FIGURES 1 .to 4, inclusivawith the exception that the hookiliand its 'rollerjzla are moved along I the sinuous locus: of travel I-so astobe movedundetneath the trailing end flap 12,..wl1en the latter extends outwardly with respect to the case B, and the hook passes through position P As the hook continues to advance to position I, the flap 12,Will be folded over the top of the case B, as disclosed by dot-dash lines. Like reference numerals have been applied to corresponding-parts in FIGURES land 5.

The driven belts K may engage. with the case B and push the latter downstream during the folding of the trailing end flap '12, if the reach it should tend'to slip under the case during suchflap folding.

I claim:

1. In a flap positioning machine:

(a) i a conveyor having a reach disposedto receive and support a case, therlatter being provided with a leading end flap and a trailing end flap;

(b) a fiap-positioning swingarm mounted above the reachfor swinging, between raised and lowered positions, and including a hook; V

(c) and means coacting with the swing arm and being operable to moverthe hook in a substantially sinuous locus of travel, with the hook descending in a path into a position underneath a selected end flap, and then moving thehook in an ascending path to carry the selectedend flap into a predetermined position relative to the case.

1 2. The flap positioning machine, as set forth in claim (d) and in which. the selected end flap comprises the leading end flap and the latter is carried into opened position by the hook as the hook moves along said ascending path. 7 93. The flap positioning machine, as set forth in claim 1; (d) and m which thexselected end'fiap comprises the trailing end flap and thelatter is carried into closed,

(d) and in which a roller. is.carried bythe hook in a positionto bear against and rollover a surface of the, selected end flap to facilitate breakinga fold line between this flap and the case. 1 6. The fiap positioning machine, as set forth in claim (at) and in. which clamping means are provided for holdingthe case stationary during. the movement. of the selected end flap relative to the case. 7 7. Ina flap positioningmachinen (a) a swingable lever supported for movement about a substantially horizontal axis between raised and lowered positions; Y I (b) a lever-swinging means operable to oscillate the lever between said positions: V (c) a rotatable crank. journalled-for rotation about a substantially horizontal axis; V (d) a flap-.positioningswing arm having one end thereof 'swing'ably attached to the .crank arm for movebeing provided 1 ment by the latter, the, swing. arm

,witha hook atits opposite end;

(e)- a link interconnecting the hookwitll anadjacentj.

end of the leverwith swinging movement so that,

the-lever,

driving meansbeing corelated tomove the'hookin a S. The flap positioning machine, as set forth in claim;

menses (h) and in which the link is movable by the swingable lever and the flap-positioning swing arm into a substantially horizontal position, when the hook is moved into a predetermined lowered position.

9. The flap positioning machine, as set forth in claim (h) and in which said driving means turns the crank arm at a higher rate of speed than the swingable lever. 10. The flap positioning machine, as set forth in claim 7- oscillatory movements between substantially horizontal and vertical positions. 11. The flap positioning machine, as set forth in claim (h) and in which a flap-engageable roller is carried by the hook.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 10 2,877,610 3/59 Atkinson 53381 X 2,890,560 6/59 Nigrelli et a1. 53382 2,915,868 12/59 Copping 53-77 X FRANK E. BAILEY, Primary Examiner.

(h) and in which the swinging lever is mounted for 15 TRAVIS MCGEHEE, Examinen 

1. IN A FLAP POSITIONING MACHING: (A) A CONVEYOR HAVING A REACH DISPOSED TO RECEIVE AND SUPPORT A CASE, THE LATTER BEING PROVIDED WITH A LEADING END FLAP AND A TRAILING END FLAP; (B) A FLAP-POSITIONING SWING ARM MOUNTED ABOVE THE REACH FOR SWINGING BETWEEN RAISED AND LOWERED POSITIONS, AND INCLUDING A HOOK; (C) AND MEANS COACTING WITH THE SWING ARM AND BEING OPERABLE TO MOVE THE HOOK IN A SUBSTANTIALLY SINUOUS LOCUS OF TRAVEL, WITH THE HOOK DESCENDING IN A PATH INTO A POSITION UNDERNEATH A SELECTED END FLAP, AND THEN MOVING THE HOOK IN AN ASCENDING PATH TO CARRY THE SELECTED END FLAP INTO A PREDETERMINED POSITION RELATIVE TO THE CASE. 